Hybrid cloud management provider Morpheus Data LLC has released new tools for finding software vulnerabilities in enterprise networks and automating common maintenance tasks.

The additions are rolling with version 5.2 of the company’s namesake software platform, which made its debut today.

Morpheus Data’s platform enables information technology teams to manage public cloud environments and on-premises infrastructure in a single centralized console. The Greenwood Village, Colorado-based company counts hundreds of customers ranging from enterprises such as McDonald’s Corp. to the U.S. Air Force. It says the number of organizations using its platform has doubled in 2020. 

Version 5.2 brings a security scanner that can automatically check a company’s Linux and Windows workloads for software vulnerabilities. The scanner performs the task using the Security Content Automation Protocol, a set of industry-standard technologies for vulnerability detection. The protocol allows information technology teams to define in advance how the security settings of their workloads are expected to be configured, then surface all the systems that don’t meet the criteria.

Morpheus Data visualizes results in a dashboard that organizes detected vulnerabilities by severity. Administrators can use the information to help them prioritize their troubleshooting efforts and tackle the most pressing issues first.

Also new in the 5.2 release is a developer framework for integrating Morpheus Data’s platform with external IT tools. Enterprises with complex technology environments usually rely on multiple different tools to orchestrate their environments, which is why Morpheus Data provides connectors for nearly 100 external products. If a company wants to integrate the platform with a solution that isn’t on the list of supported products, they can now do so more easily by building a custom connector with the new framework.

Other enhancements include the ability for IT teams to share automation scripts via an internal self-service catalog and a new Essentials edition of Morpheus Data’s platform. The Essentials edition is a slimmed-down version of the software with a more limited feature set offered at a lower price point. The vision, according to Morpheus Data, is to extend the platform’s focus beyond the large organizations that currently constitute most of its installed base to midsized enterprises.  

Image: Morpheus Data/Facebook